USAT J Stirling Morton
From Our Contribution
 10 Nov 1944 Troops boarding USAT J Stirling Morton for Jacquinot Bay. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | USAT J Stirling Morton |
| Owner | US Army |
| Builder | Permanente Metals Richmond, California |
| Yard number | 1 |
| Launched | 1942 |
| Completed | 1942 |
| In service | 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Liberty EC-2 |
| Tonnage | 7,181 tons |
| Length | 492 ft (150m) |
| Beam | 69.7 ft (21.2m) |
| Depth | draft 29.4 ft (9.0m) |
| Propulsion | single screw |
| Speed | 16.5 kots (30.6 km/h) |
Contents
Remarks
This ship's first voyage to Australia was a journey from San Francisco (June 20th) to Brisbane (July 18th). She then made numerous voyages between north Queensland ports and the islands to the north of Australia.
During a voyage from Sydney to Townsville she ran into trouble on 18 Sep 1944, sending the following signal to authorities "S.O.S. On fire anchored off Flat Top MacKay, require immediate assistance. Unless immediate assistance rendered may have to beach vessel. Please at least send boat for Passengers. Hove to off MacKay, cannot raise shore station. Please inform shore authorities rush Pilot and CO2". A later message read "Fire under control, cancel all distress messages."[1].
It would appear that the damage wasn't catastrophic as on 26 Sep 1944 she departed MacKay for Brisbane. On 16 Oct 1944 the USAT J. Stirling Morton left Australia for the last time for New Guinea and the islands north, returning to San Francisco on 8 May 1945.